IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,434,712
Granted Patent B2
US 11,434,712 · App. 15/953,988 · Granted Sep 6, 2022

Whipstock assembly for forming a window

Inventor: James H. Taylor, Jr. (Houston, TX)
Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC
E21B29/06E21B23/01E21B33/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,434,712
App. No.
15/953,988
Granted
Sep 6, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A whipstock assembly includes an inner body having a bore and an inclined surface at an upper portion; and an outer body disposed around the inner body and releasably attached to the inner body, the outer body having an inclined surface and an upper portion closed to fluid communication.

Claims (37)

1. A whipstock assembly, comprising:

an inner body having a bore and an inclined surface at an upper portion; and

an outer body disposed around the inner body and releasably attached to the inner body, the outer body including an outer sleeve having a through bore, the outer sleeve including:

an inclined surface formed by an inclined cut of a tubular wall of the outer sleeve; and

a concave member disposed on the inclined surface and closes fluid communication through the through bore of the outer sleeve,

wherein an upper portion of the outer body closes fluid communication through the bore of the inner body.

2. The whipstock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer body is releasably attached to the inner body using a shearable member.

3. The whipstock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inclined surface of the inner body has a concave cut on a wall of the inner body.

4. The whipstock assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the inclined surface of the outer body is disposed above the inclined surface of the inner body.

5. The whipstock assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a guide member for coupling the outer body to the inner body.

6. The whipstock assembly of claim 5 , wherein the guide member mates with a slot formed in the inner body.

7. The whipstock assembly of claim 5 , wherein the guide member is attached to the inclined surface of the outer body.

8. The whipstock assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a clearance formed between the guide member and an outer sleeve of the outer body to at least partially receive the inner body.

9. A method for forming a window in a wellbore, comprising:

lowering a work string having a drilling member, a whipstock assembly, a sealing element, and an anchor, wherein the whipstock assembly includes an outer body located around and releasably attached to an inner body having a bore such that the outer body closes fluid flow through the bore, wherein the outer body includes an outer sleeve having an inclined surface formed by an inclined cut of a wall of the outer sleeve and a concave member disposed on the inclined surface, the concave member closing fluid communication through a through bore of the outer sleeve;

setting the sealing element and the anchor;

releasing the drilling member from the whipstock assembly;

moving the drilling member along the inclined surface of the outer body to form the window;

releasing the outer body from the inner body so as to allow fluid flow through the bore of the inner body; and

moving a downhole tool along an inclined surface of the inner body.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising retrieving the outer body after release from the inner body.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein releasing the outer body comprises applying a sufficient pull force to the outer body to release the outer body from the inner body.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein releasing the outer body further comprises attaching a retrieval tool to the outer body and applying the pull force via the retrieval tool.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein setting the anchor comprises supplying a hydraulic fluid.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein setting the sealing element comprises applying compressive force to the sealing element.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein fluid communication through the whipstock assembly is prevented when the outer body is attached to the inner body.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein fluid communication in the wellbore across the whipstock assembly and the sealing element is prevented after setting the sealing element.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein fluid communication in the wellbore across the whipstock assembly is allowed after releasing the outer body from the inner body.

18. A downhole tool for use in forming a lateral wellbore, comprising:

a whipstock assembly, having:

an inner body having a bore and an inclined surface at an upper portion; and

an outer body disposed around the inner body and releasably attached to the inner body, the outer body includes an outer sleeve having an inclined surface formed by an inclined cut of a wall of the outer sleeve and a concave member disposed on the inclined surface, wherein the concave member closes fluid communication through a through bore of the outer sleeve and the outer body closes fluid communication through the bore of the inner body;

a sealing element coupled to the whipstock assembly; and

an anchor coupled to the whipstock assembly, the anchor having a bore in fluid communication with the bore of the inner body.

19. The downhole tool of claim 18 , wherein the inclined surface of the inner body is aligned with inclined surface of the outer body.

20. The downhole tool of claim 19 , wherein the inclined surfaces are aligned by mating a guide member to a slot.

21. The downhole tool of claim 18 , wherein the inclined surface of the inner body includes a cut-out that exposes the bore.

Assignments (8)
PATENT SECURITY INTEREST ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 26, 2023
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 063470/0629 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2021
From: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC; WEATHERFORD NETHERLANDS B.V.; WEATHERFORD NORGE AS; HIGH PRESSURE INTEGRITY, INC.; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES, INC.; WEATHERFORD CANADA LTD.; WEATHERFORD SWITZERLAND TRADING AND DEVELOPMENT GMBH; WEATHERFORD U.K. LIMITED
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 057683/0706 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2021
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC; WEATHERFORD NETHERLANDS B.V.; WEATHERFORD NORGE AS; HIGH PRESSURE INTEGRITY, INC.; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES, INC.; WEATHERFORD CANADA LTD; WEATHERFORD SWITZERLAND TRADING AND DEVELOPMENT GMBH; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES ULC; WEATHERFORD U.K. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 057683/0423 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2020
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC; WEATHERFORD NETHERLANDS B.V.; WEATHERFORD NORGE AS; HIGH PRESSURE INTEGRITY, INC.; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES, INC.; WEATHERFORD CANADA LTD.; WEATHERFORD SWITZERLAND TRADING AND DEVELOPMENT GMBH; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES ULC; WEATHERFORD U.K. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 053838/0323 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2020
From: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC; WEATHERFORD NETHERLANDS B.V.; WEATHERFORD NORGE AS; HIGH PRESSURE INTEGRITY, INC.; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES, INC.; WEATHERFORD CANADA LTD.; WEATHERFORD SWITZERLAND TRADING AND DEVELOPMENT GMBH; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES ULC; WEATHERFORD U.K. LIMITED
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 054288/0302 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 26, 2019
From: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC; WEATHERFORD NETHERLANDS B.V.; WEATHERFORD NORGE AS; HIGH PRESSURE INTEGRITY, INC.; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES, INC.; WEATHERFORD CANADA LTD.; WEATHERFORD SWITZERLAND TRADING AND DEVELOPMENT GMBH; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES ULC; WEATHERFORD U.K. LIMITED
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 051419/0140 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2019
From: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC; WEATHERFORD NETHERLANDS B.V.; WEATHERFORD NORGE AS; HIGH PRESSURE INTEGRITY INC.; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES INC.; WEATHERFORD CANADA LTD.; WEATHERFORD SWITZERLAND TRADING AND DEVELOPMENT GMBH; PRECISION ENERGY SERVICES ULC; WEATHERFORD U.K. LIMITED
To: WELLS FARGO BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 051891/0089 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2018
From: TAYLOR, JAMES H., JR.
To: WEATHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 045962/0618 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190316435A1 · Oct 17, 2019